Vehicle.



H. E. FAIRMAN.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. 1914.

Patented. Dec. 26, 1916.

H. E. FAIRMAN.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. 1914.

MN m

2 SHEETSSHEET Z.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

H H H H H IHUUHH Nu venictn Specification or Letters l atent.

Patented Dec. @6, 1%ilfi= epzittcation med $111 1%, i914, eerie]. 1%.. 355,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY Ev FAlRMAN,-.

citizen of the United States, residing et Davenport, in the county oi: Scott and Stateof Iowa, have invented a certain new and.

useful Improvement in Veaicles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, exact description, reference being," lied to the accompanying drawings, a part of this specification.

My invention relates to self-propelled vehiclesand is of particular service in connection with that class of self-prope ed vehicles that include tractors, though to he understood that my invention is not to he limited to tractors as the invention is adaptable to other selfipropelled vehi cles.

It is one general object oi my invention to provide a construction in which the power plant or" the vehicle constitutes a portion of a unitary structure that includes the steering wheels of such power plant being mounted so as to he moved bodily with the steering wheels irrespective of the planes of rotation to which the steering wheels are shifted.

in one embodiment of the invention two closely approached steering wheel elements are employed which are fixedly coupled by which arrangement the presence ot a ential gearing between engine and steer ing wheels is avoided. lfn the preferred form of the invention the power plant the steering wheels larc at the werd portion of the vehicle, by which 1 weird arrangement the direction of travel of the vehicle is very readily'controllcd by the operator. i

ll ly invention has for another its ohjects the provision of a vehicle having vehicle wheels at its forward and rear ends, one of which portions of the vehicle there is provided a pair of vehicle wheels in conic hinetion with means for varying the lat eral spacing between the wheels of this pair so as to vary the gage oil the path follower by this pairof vehicle wheels. There is preferably also present means for retaining only one or" said pair of wheels when it is desired to reduce the width of the path tollowed thereby to the minimum, By means of my invention the steering wheelsmay be vehicle, the

confined to travel between adjacent rows of plants whereas the pair of adjustable Wheels may be relatively adjusted so as to travel either between" these rows. or so as to embrace them as ciinnmstances may "require.

I will exnlain my inventicn inorefully by reference to the accompanying drawing'e;

showing the pre rerred embodiment thereof and in which-- Figure l is a plan view of a machine embracing the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear View of the machine illustrated in Fig.

1; Rip. 8 is a sectional view; Fi 2 l is a sectional view on line 4-, l of Fig. Fig. 5 is a plan view cfthe vehicle with one oil the rear'trailing wheels snbstituted for a pair of such wheels; 5 is a sectional View on line 6, t of Fig. 5; and is a side view of the structure illustrated in Like parts indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The tractor illt strated in Figs. 1 2 includes :t'our wheel elements, two of the wheel elements 1 together constituting steering wheels since these two clericenteare desirably rigidly secured to a common axl 2/ a are so closely approached as-to render dil ferential movement between the same unnecessary for the purpose of steer- The remaining wheel elements 3 are trailing wheels which serve in cooperation with the steering wheels to determine the direction of travel of vehicle and also to carry or efiect the travel of load.- These wheels obviously also suitably serve to establish equilibrium for the steering wheels in the particnlaremhodinlent of the vention illustrat The steering wheel members 1- are desirably planed at the forward portion of the vehicle and while these members are shown as being in.

fixed r lation owing to their proximity I do not wish to be limited to such fixed relation. As the invention is embodied the two closely approached steering wheels '1 may travel between adjacent plant ,rows (ind' :ated at l and 3 in Fig. and the trailing wheels 3 may travel either outside of these adjacent plant rows'so as to embrace the same as indicated in Figs. 1 and release 2 in full lines or, being suitably adjusted,

may travel between said adjacent plant may be positioned to travel in the middle of the path followed by thegtwo closely approached steering ovheels 1, this remaining wheel 3 being then brought into substantial alinement with the middle of the vehicle. Where one of the wheels 3 is omitted the pair of steering wheels 1 is preferably wid ened vby adding wheel elements 1 whereby the base of the vehicle is suiliciently increased to enable the vehicle to be stable.

The engine or motor which 1 preferably employ is an internal combustion engine indicated at 6, this engine being in suitable driving connection with the wheels 1 that thus constitute not only closely approached steering wheels but traction wheels as well. The engine is mounted upon a truck i" pivotally connected. by a bolt 8 with rigid framej members .9 projecting forwardly and downwardly from the horizontal framework members 10 which are in normally lined relation with the frame members 9 The engins supporting truck v7 is shifted about the vertical axis afforded by the bolt 8, in steerthe vehicle by means oi. suitable steeringmechanism including a steering wheel 11 in driving relation with a pinion 12- (Fig;

7) thatisinmeshwithaworm gear 13 that is in fixed relation with a pinion 14: that engages a segmental rack 15, this segmental rack being mounted upon or carried by the truck '31 The elements 11, 12, 13 and 14: are

themselves mounted upon the framework 9' with Y which the frame members 10 have pivotal connection at their forward ends by means of bolts 16 The frame members 10, by means or" the hinge structures shown at 16 are swingingly mounted upon the frame work 9: 1

Each frame member 10 is formed in sections adjustable longitudinally thereof whereby the lengths of said framemembers 10 may be determined the adjusted lengths of said frame members being se cured by means of clamping ll-bolts 17. The rear ends of the frame members 10 are bolted to the vertically disposed bearings 18 in which the vertical shafts 19 turn, these shafts 1'9 projecting upwardly from the brackets 20 each bracket 20 and the shaft 19 it carries being in fixed relation The lower ends of the brackets 20 are provided with journals 21-101 receiving the horizontal axles or shafts 22 that are individual to the rear wheels 36 One the vertical axles 19 is in fixed connection with the elbow of a bell crank lever 23. this the arms of this bell crank lever is connected by a rod 24: with an arm or lever t lat is connected with the roaming vertical shaft 19. The other arm of the hell crank 23 is connected by a rod 26 with a centrally pivoted foot lever 27 which is located to be within the reach of the foot the operator who may occupy the seat 28 so as to be also within reach oi. the

steering wheel 1L v The operator, by turnthe foot lever 27, may shift the rod 26 to cause the vertical shafts l9 to turn and thereby occasion that turning movement of the brackets 20 which'will place the trailing wheels 3 in desired lines of travel. The foot lever 27 may carry a segmental rack 27 for cooperation with a holding pawl 22 to maintain the lever 27 in any position to which it may be swung, The journals 18 are desirably connected by means of a strut structure 29 so as to maintain these ournals selected (llSi-fil'lCS apart, a hook bolt 30 serv.

111% to secure the strut 2 9 in fixed relation I of the whereby the eiiective length of the beam may be adjusted The seat 28 is mounted upon the rear section of this beam so that its position may be adjusted fore and aft by moving this rearv beam section for wardly or rearwardly as required. The sectional formation of the beam is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 where l have illustrated symmetrically arranged channel bars, one received in the other: When the length or the beam is to be adjusted the ll-bolts 32 are loosened and after the beam has been ad justed to the desired lengths these bolts are tightened whereby the selected adjustment is secured The forward section of the beam 31 is desirably rigidly secured to the'frame 9 whereby the beam constitutes, in efiect a continuation of said frame The seat 28 may be of the usual hind employed in agricultural implements the seat standard 33 being mounted upon a bracket structure 3i "(upon which the holding pawl 27 is also mounted} which bracket in turn is mounted upon the rear section of the beam 31. It s thus obvious that when the length of the beam is adjusted that the seat 28 is correspondingly shifted toward or from the vehicle. The position of the seat upon the beam formed in telescoping sections 3? and 38 whereby the eiilective length of this shaft is anions-is of a bracket all, power being transmitted from the steering shaft to the pinion 12. it

is understood that the length of the shaft.

is to be suited to the position of the seat 28 and the convenience ofthe operates W hen there is a readjustment of the seat and the length of the steering shaft it is desirable to adjust the angularity of said shaft, to which end I have provided the bracket or stirrup ll which is joumaled to swing at its lower end upon the framework 9, The an gular position of the steering shaft is rnaintained by a strut 42 (Figs. 4. and '3} which attached at one end to the steering" shaft structure and at the other end to the forward section of the beam 31. This strut is made in two sections that are adjustable longitudinally of the strut whereby the length of the strut may be altered to determine the angle at which the shaft is to be disposed, the adjusted length of the strut 42 being maintained by the clamping bolt 43,

The steering wheel shaft structure has mounted thereupon a centrally pivoted lever 4-4 connected on bothsides of its mounting by cords e5 with a rocker 46 that is connected' by suitable means with mechanism. for determining the direction of rotation of the engine. The lever 44 has an operating handle 47 within the reach of the operator while upon his seat 28, A lever i8 is within. the reach of a foot of the operator and, through the intermediation of the cord 49, serves to throw the transmission clutch (that is to couple the engine 6 with the initially driven pinions 50) into and out of action When it is desired to change the lateral spacing between the wheels 3, the sections of each side frame member 10 are uncoupled by loosening the clamping'tl-bolts l? whereafter the length of these frame members 10 may be adjusted to suit the spacing that is to intervene between the wheels 3: After the wheels 3 have been suitably spaced. apart the clamp U-bolts 17 are again clamped to maintain the frame; members 10 intact,v

v When the spacing between the wheels 3 is varied it is necessary to change the eilective length of the rod, 24 and also the efi'ective length of the rod 26. To this end the couplers 52 are employed to unite adjustable sections of these rods, these couplers being equipped with set bolts 53 for engaging the rod sections to maintain the selected relative adjustment; thereof. When a single wheel 3 is to be substituted for the pair of wheels 3, that wheel 3 which is individual to the bell crank lever 23 is disconnected from. the associate'frame member 10 and rod 28, the rod 24 being also disconnected from the member 10 is connected with the journal 18 pertaining to the retained 'wheel 3 as indicated in Figs. 5 and '3, the rodilb being also connected with the outer end of the arm 25 with the result illustrated in the last mentioned figures.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a vehicle having; wheels whose lateral spacing may be varied, the central beam 31 in c061- eration with the hook bolt 30, the side frame members 10, and the frame 9 producing a very rigid structure when. the selected. adjustments have been secured by the various clamping devices illustrated and while ll prefer to employ the central beam 31 formed in adjustable sections whereby the efl'ective length of the beam may be adjusted I do not wish to be limited to this means for en- 1. A vehicle having two side frame mern-- bers extending between forward and rear portions of the vehicle and adjustable laterally of the vehicle with respect to each other and whose efiective length is adjustable; and vehicle wheels supporting said members and adjustable therewith,

2. A vehicle having; two side frame memhere that converge forwardly; a frame with which the forward ends of these frame members are connected; a beam extending rearwardly from this frame; vehicle Wheels upon which the rear ends of the frame mem-z hers are mounted; and a strut serving to space said wheels apart and. connected with the rear end of the beam.

3. A vehicle having two sideframe mem here; a frame with which the forward ends of these frame members are swingingly connected; a beam extending rearwardly from. this frame; vehicle wheels upon which the rear ends of the frame members are mount-- ed; and a strut serving to space said wheels apart and connected with the rear end of the beam, said frame 'rnembers and strut having their efi'ective lengths adjustable whereby the spacing between said vehicle wheels may be regulated 4 A vehicle having two side frame Il'lfilil hers; a frame with which the forward ends of these frame members are swingingly con- Lemme nested; vehicie Wheels upen which the rear In Witness whereof, I hereunte subscribe ends of the frame members are mmm'ted; w my name 3111s 9th day of Juiy A. D", 1914-.

, r Y o e e W. e and f sigrut se 31113 t epeee a 1d "wheele YHQRBY E. EAIRSUNG apmw, Said. frame members and strut having .5 their efiective lengths adjustable whereby Witnesses:

the spacing between said vehicle Wheels may DICK BRADEN, be reguleized, RAY Mmenem. 

